Monetization in the Social TV Space

The Social TV landscape continues to evolve. The space is rapidly becoming a magnet for innovative companies and their products. Everyone is competing for the attention of TV viewers.

In the not so distant past, viewing of the shows was possible only on TVs, and shows were broadcast at specific times dictated by TV networks. Now the choices for TV viewing have proliferated, ranging from TVs to mobile apps to web. The addition of social networks to this new Social TV landscape have completely changed the rules of engagement between TV networks and viewers.

According to a recent survey by TV Guide, TV viewing habits are greatly influenced by social media buzz. For example, positive commentary about TV shows on social networks have been shown to translate into increased viewing of TV shows, and there’s a significant correlation between positive social impressions about the shows, and whether people decide or continue to watch the shows.

A Nielsen study has documented this as well, noting a correlation between social media buzz and TV ratings across all age groups, most notably among 18-34 -year-olds.

In the meantime, a ReadWriteWeb study found that a whopping 94% of U.S. adults e-mail, talk on the phone, send text messages, or chat on social networks while watching TV, while 38% of them on mobile devices search the mobile web for content related to the shows they’re watching.

How can TV networks integrate their programming with the social media landscape that is now part of the Social TV landscape as well? How can they engage their viewers with programs that capture the viewers’ attention not just for one show, or for one season, but for a long term? How can they build an interaction so engaging that it would turn viewers into loyal fans of the shows?

The roadmap for monetization in the Social TV space starts becoming clear, when these questions are addressed.

These are among the questions that will be discussed by an expert Social TV panel during a webinar on Wednesday, March 30. The webinar is titled “Monetizing Social TV: Bolstering Returns in Real Time.” The presenters will be Arktan CEO & Co-Founder Rahul Aggarwal, Jennifer Kavanagh, SVP, Digital, Oxygen Media, Jeff Weber, VP, Video Products, AT&T, and Gayle Weiswasser, VP, Social Media, Discovery Communications.

We’re pleased to be part of this exciting Social TV panel discussion. Please join us! Here’s a link to register for the event.